Delhi Police tells HC they have invoked JJ Act against DCW chief

The police today told the Delhi High Court that they have invoked the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act against DCW chief Swati Maliwal for allegedly disclosing the identity of a 14-year- old Dalit rape victim who had succumbed to injuries.

The case was earlier transferred to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police. (PTI)

The police today told the Delhi High Court that they have invoked the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act against DCW chief Swati Maliwal for allegedly disclosing the identity of a 14-year- old Dalit rape victim who had succumbed to injuries.

Delhi Police filed its latest status report before Justice A K Pathak stating that it has dropped the charge of disclosure of identity of the victim against Maliwal under the IPC but the case under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act still stands.

It has said that making public the name of a rape victim is an offence.

The court asked the counsel for the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) to file a reply to the report and listed the matter for hearing on August 1.
Senior advocate R S Cheema, who appeared for the DCW, sought a court-monitored probe in the matter, saying the minor had died after the incident but the police have still not invoked murder charge in the FIR.

The police, in the report, said, “The parents of the victim were examined and they reiterated their version of giving consent to disclose the name of their daughter. In view of the same, provision of the IPC has been dropped from the case but offence under sections of JJ Act still stands.”

They said the investigating officer has filed a final report before a trial court which has kept it for consideration.

The case was earlier transferred to the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.

The court was hearing a plea by the DCW for quashing of an FIR lodged against its chief for allegedly revealing the identity of the minor rape victim. The court had earlier asked the police to reply to the plea.

It had questioned the DCW counsel as to how the commission could move the court for quashing of an FIR lodged against its chief.

The minor girl had died in a hospital after a neighbour had allegedly raped her repeatedly in north Delhi’s Burari area on July 23 last year and forced a corrosive substance down her throat which damaged her internal organs.

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The police had said Maliwal circulated a notice she had sent to the area deputy commissioner of police, in which she had sought to know about the investigation in the rape case.

The notice, which was given to the print and electronic media, had the name of the victim.

The FIR has alleged that the notice was “intentionally circulate” on various WhatsApp groups and shown by TV channels. A news channel had held the notice before the camera during a prime-time programme aired on July 25, it has said.